KOBOLDS! A Different Perspective on using them 

For me, Kobolds and Goblins have always been vastly different. Their stats may be similar and they're both tribalistic but that's really where the similarities end in my eyes. Kobolds are typically found underground, in caves and warrens, and mines. They are expert trap-makers, riddling their lairs with a variety of complex and well made traps, and they are typically extremely community focused while also being rather selfish. They will do whatever is necessary to protect the tribe, while trying to put themselves in the least possible danger, even if it means throwing another kobold out to die while the others escape. They are also more magically adept, versatile, and artistic compared to goblins, often having sorcerers and shamans among their number leading them, and their draconic worship comes about in idols and carvings which can be found throughout their lairs. Diplomatically they are also much more reasonable, as they would certainly prefer trading resources than risk a home invasion unless they were well prepared for such an event (negotiations would likely occur after adventurers make it all the way through to the heart of their territory). I could also see them with their own underground farms. Goblins on the other hand are typically found above ground, and are a lot more spontaneous than kobolds are. The equipment and traps that they use are not as well made as the kobold's, and usually such items are fragile or were taken from other races. Sure you may find them in caves and whatnot from time to time but it's usually the result of occupation rather than creation. Kobolds make their own lairs while goblins will take whatever they can find. They are not quite as community focused either, as they stick together out of necessity more than a sense of community, and are always looking out for themselves rather than their community. They are also much more reckless. Shamans and sorcerers and druids may also crop up among the goblin's numbers, though their magic would be less focused on utility and more on offense, usually fire. Goblins may be more alchemically adept than kobolds though, crafting bombs and whatnot designed to cause chaos. Diplomatically they are not reasonable at all, and will typically attempt to murder you or flee to live another day unless you take them over by force. That's just my general take on these two races though and how I usually run them, I'm sure other people may see them differently.

I use Goblins and Kobolds as tribal societys with very diferent "cultures". Gobblins are the scavengertypes. They prefer a nomadic lifestyle where they go somewhere, grab whatever peaks their interest (Food, Shinys, Fancys and specialy Meat). Their homes are mostly shallow caves or tenttowns. They also keep beasts of labor (sometimes). They have the creativiti and viciousnessof prescoolers. Their simple minds dont understand the pain they cause their victims, and the whay they defend themselves is based on tradition and painfull experiences. They usualy dont have any religous background, and even if a tribe stumbles on a trigger wich creates some kind of cult, it ofthen dies down within the next few generations (4 or 5). Kobbolds are teretorial. Their homeland provides them with the balanced thermic conditions aswell as bigg enough foodsources. They stay within their teretory, and onely fight to hunt our defend themselves. Their homes are deep tunnlesystems built in a confusing manner so outsiders struggle to navigate. They never fight unless they see a whay to winn, they also dropp back outof combat if things go south in order to regroup... Kobolds rarely fight outside of their lair, they also use fear as first line of defence (They show some numbers at a defencive stance by grouping up and throwing rocks towards intruders from well out of reach). They don't care about anything without function unless it's related to their religion. Kobbolds have a very high chance of cultistic activitys, or atleast worshipp Dragons as goddly creatures. Kobolds may not build cittys, but their tribes bringforth adult minds wich might be able to negotiate with outsiders... aslong as it hapenes far enough awhay from their lair (seriously, DONT go into a Kobboldtribes lair).

Personally I think this is a very good video for lizardfolk, and that sort of thing, but I always viewed kobolds as more like rat-dragons. Love the idea of the underwater swarming though, and I think Lizardfolk even get a swim speed and 15 minute breath holding. A lot more communal than a goblin, with a more positive emotional slant. Say a goblin is motivated by greed, or fear of a greater goblinoid like a bugbear or hobgoblin, but a kobold tends to think in terms of group survival. Communal sleeping areas and shared responsibility of the young leading to the sort of mindset that prompts an old, weak kobold to sacrifice itself to lead enemies into a trap, allowing the escape of the others. In some cases they are even hired by cities to live beneath and handle sewage tunnels, and in return they are protected and fed. That and I love oneshots with people playing as kobolds serving a chromatic dragon.

The biggest difference I see between kobolds and goblins is shown in their alignment, a kobolds #1 priority is safety and they'll sometimes even broker deals for peace, while goblins will go start a war just cause, lawful vs chaotic

I always presented them as better organized and community based than goblins and more victims of circumstance. They worship dragons who use and dispose of them on a whim. But they can come to worship anything or anyone sufficiently powerful enough to impress them. Which is typically something evil. In one campaign the dragon used them and the adventurers and as soon as it got what it wanted it just flew off never to be heard from again. The kobolds turned to the adventurers as their new masters. By mid level they're such a non threat that theyre adorable and my players ended adopting the scheaming little suck ups. Eventually growing quite attached to them. By the campaign end the general consensus was how much they're going to miss their groveling little reptillian murder hobos.

Of all people, I would have thought you had this answer a long time ago: The difference was always Narrative. As for my Kobolds: Tucker's... anyone?

Great ideas, well presented! I would add: a kobolds' lair will be much more silent than a goblin's lair. Reptiles usually don't make much noise in comparison to other creatures. So there, you have it: hot, humid and muddy holes where there is hardly a sound, even as scores of cold-eyed kobolds are watching you.

I like your take on kobolds. Now I feel like you need to make a video differentiating kobolds and lizardfolk.

As someone who is running a very dragon themed campaign, a popular enemy my enemies come to blow with are the cunning and cruel kobold. So I wanted to offer here my own imput. The lair to which you describe in your video is the lair of your standard Black Scaled Kobold. They take after their dragon counter parts and they live in wet, swampy places. Due to their keen swimming and breath holding they often make such swamp caves their lairs and have a nasty habit of pulling people under. However there are other kobolds. You will encounter kobolds for one of a few reasons; either you've stumbled into their domain. They've been recruited into some kind of religious dragon cult. Or they've been enslaved. - The most dangerous of the kobolds are their sorcerers, for they have the bloodline of dragons. Red Kobolds, your most traditional, do make home in hot places. Making use of incredible heat for their homes because, well, they are red scaled. Maybe around a volcano, or something else that is extremely hot. The green kobolds you might find in overgrown forest caves, but they are just as likely to build their nests in dense foliage. They are the only kobolds that usually do build their nests outside because of their forest incline. And so here you might encounter plants and beasts they've subjugated or befriended. And if they are befriending beasts they most likely will have kobold druids amongst them. The blue kobolds are desert kobolds and they'll often be found in desert caves. Having an affinity to lightning and thunder, electricity will be a common theme for things you'll encounter battling them. And finally you have the White Kobolds. This defies the previously mentioned cold blooded reptile because, they have cold resistance. These kobolds will build their nests in ice caves in the coldest places in the world. THey usually detest heat and so wont resort to fire for a few reasons. Damaging their home is one. There are a lot of things you can do with them. They are prone to be greedy and horde items of magic, with a great favor to items of dragon nature. They can be great cultist material in the setting of Faerun due to Tiamat. - Kobolds abducting villages who are friends of a gold dragon to sacrifice to the dragon goddess. Kobolds are dangerous because they can be rallied behind a cause, and they are dangerous because of the magics that some of them can bring to bare.

Right now I'm working on a campaign were the players can encounter a good aligned kobold clan under the protection/employ of a gold dragon. I like to do different things with monster races and always thought why not good kobolds? But I do agree kobold and goblin are vastly different to say and treat them the same would be to treat dwarves and elves the same.

I usually have them as a more standard race due to their higher intelligence and organization skills, allowing the more standard races to accept their proximity. One thing I've always wanted to explore is an empire, ruled by dragons, where Kobolds and Dragonborn are the two dominant races and the first class citizens. I also see them as being very bronze age/ ancient Egyptian in style, don't why I just do.

There is, or should be, a big difference... Goblins are Chaotic/Evil while Kobolds are Lawful/Evil. Kobolds stick to their traditions and rules, they have a religion, they like to follow the orders of an authority, especially if it is a dragon whom they revere, they value promises and pacts, and it would make perfect sense for them to care about their own. Goblins should be the representation of bad anarchy and supremacy by being the most aggressive or strong. With kobolds you could make civilized deals, with goblins you couldn't. I really liked the idea of giving them crocodile-like connotations. Very interesting idea.

In our homebrew campaign, kobolds are actually a force to be reckoned with. Yes, they are pretty much a servant race. But they are also master philosophers. Pun-Pun is not a thought experiment in breaking the game, but the setting's equivalent to Sun Tzu. Not only did they essentially author the Art of War, but they also mastered techniques that let them push an agenda from a servile position. Commenting on ideas they had "that could never work" in earshot of their masters, accomplishing certain tasks with zeal while dragging their feet on others, lauding certain ideas with honesty while sounding like sycophants when they don't agree with something. "The greatest accomplishment of a servant is to have the master's will coincide with their own, without the master realizing it was the servant's idea in the first place."

Ive played a rejected trapmaker kobold once, he got turned into a dragonborn seeking redemption from Bahamuth. It was magical.

I've always played them as mini wannabe dragons. I give some of the more powerful ones a breath weapon to keep adventurers on their toes. Especially during this one campaign where I had an Ancient Red Dragon trying to attain godhood. I also give them little treasure hoards hidden away. Nothing super impressive, just shiny stuff and the odd magical trinket hidden in muck.

I think you and I have very different "kobolds". Mine are draconic in nature (as opposed to "reptilian"...I do not consider dragons to be reptiles, appearance notwithstanding) and so they're naturally very resistant to environmental changes, though they prefer the warm. You could call them tribal, having a strong connection to family and familial units. They're fairly small, but mine are designed to be reminiscent of the Jurassic Park style raptor (or more appropriately Deinonychus), complete with running endurance and claws, and so in a group they're absolutely lethal. Even so, they don't tend to pillage or raid; rather, they tend to be very territorial, as their draconic heritage might imply. Goblins on the other hand are raiders who employ skirmish tactics. They CLAIM to be highly family oriented, but in reality they tend to in-fight a lot. They also don't possess the lethal natural weapons kobolds do, which is one reason they raid a lot.

Watching this video has given me a good idea of the first task for a pirate-themed D&D campaign I’m running for a friend. A half-underwater Kobold den. It’s a great twist on what would be a classic introductory D&D dungeon

This video had great timing. My players are visiting a Kobold Mine today and now i have a different way to describe it. That helped a lot. Thank you!

After just watching the hour long Kobold documentary by MrRexx or whatever his channel was called, and idk how new his video is, the difference between Kobolds and goblins are vast already, and I rather like the plucky communal self sacrificing to the point of a bloody torrent mini dragon things. I like your take in a specific thematic sense, but as far as the established lore I certainly enjoy what they already have to offer. A few weeks ago I just played in my first campaign, centered around a crazy witch lady who had enslaved a warren of Kobolds to bring tiamat to the mortal realm. Was a one shot that took us all day, and set us up to jump into horde of the dragon queen. The story revolved very heavily around the Kobold element, and the way he presented them was quite similar to the existing descriptions of them and it was marvelous.

I rather enjoy your idea on how to run with this! For my world, Kobolds are interlinked with Dragons, which aren't cold blooded for me as they're magical beings, but that just means we have to add a way for their 'god' to come and go somewhere up high. :D And thus, if the players want to GET to the dragon, they have to go through the horrible, dank, acrid kobold tunnels.

Hey, Guy! Big fan of you here, love your channel! Keep the great content!! 😉

I'm playing a Kobold Rogue that is working as a kind of ambassador to the Dwarves who are encroaching on Kobold lands. The original concept for the character was to be a servant for a rich person as an acquisitions specialist. Ah well. Cool thing is, we already used the difference between Kobolds and Goblins. "It puts hair on your chest." "Kobolds don't grow hair." And in the game world we're playing in, Goblins are more...cannibalistic. We'll delve more into it as the game goes, since we just had one game thus far.

Most interesting and most informative. Thank you for sharing.

I created a tribe of kobolds called the "Redfoot Tribe". They were a mining tribe who traded with people who passed their village, which just so happened to be next to a major trade route, and they were very peaceful. The daughter of their chief, the princess if you will, was kidnapped and my party rescued her and escorted her vack to her peopl. This was a job given to them by their adventurer's guild. The tribe also had a very rare material they called glass-stone. A dark, glass-like material, and they used it to make sunglasses, guarding the secret to making them like crazy.

Likely my favorite of your videos. Thanks!

"that is the future generation, or at least breakfast tomorrow" Nice

I like thinking of kobolds as a much more militaristic society, with ranks and officers and the like, while goblins are more like a wild, chaotic bunch. Kobolds use strategy, they got smart positioning and will use terrain to their advantage. Goblins will jump on you trying to stab stab stab as much as they can, shouting and spitting and cursing. Also goblins use traps, true, but kobolds are OBSESSED with traps: they will place as much as they can, and the players will be extremely weared out before encountering the actual kobolds. I also like to think that they are more rational and more detached, so they are more inclined to cooperate with players once defeated and will always choose personal survival over... pretty much anything (loyalty, vengeance, hatred etc.) By the way, I take the occasion to thank you immensely, you are a real source of inspiration and I always get cool new ideas watching your videos! For one of the next topics I would love to hear what you think about gnolls and their eternal hunger (I fell in love with them playing Warcraft 3 and since then my fascination has never stopped growing) Ciao!

Guy, it is time for a challenge. what are your thoughts on using and roleplaying *Warforged* characters?

Planning a Kobold party kampaign, so this was a good talk or me. Lots of good ideas. Have to learn the players the ways of kobolds and the perspective.

For me, the difference in their traps is that the Goblins are trying to trap you or kill you so that they can eat you later, while Kobolds just want to drive you away. In my campaigns Kobolds are actually employed in large towns to create and maintain the sewer system. I had one session where the local nobility stopped paying the Kobolds and even sent adventurers (the PCs) into the sewers to kill them off. When the Kobold Sorcerers died Gelatinous Cubes that the Kobolds had been using to filter the water were released, some of them squeezing up out the fountains while giant rats (the Kobold's food source) started running amok.

Very interesting! Before watching, my own opinion was to see goblins as a much more offensive race. There would be the rabbitlike warren that overflows every season, and a whole lot of gobbos would leave to venture the surface as a war band or camp, to find more food and pillage, maybe even find a new nest site. They are defined by the fact that there's always lots of them, they breed like rabbits, so some of them have to leave and get in conflict with other races. They are much more likely to be found above ground, though they breed in warrens, and will eagerly swarm opponents with smaller forces than their war band, attacking with mismatched found weapons, possibly simple traps if the environment allows. Warlike, goblins that get a taste for blood and have any success may be found riding wargs or boars like orcs(possibly multiple goblins, like a siege engine, considering their size) and attacking with some stratagy, but they aren't patient creatures, and they are always hungry. Kobolds, on the other hand, are very defensive. You are much more likely to have to go to them. Much more industrious, with a complex warren containing a shared nest at the very bottom, and above levels filled with traps. I define them much more by the traps, because kobolds are very cowardly. Yes, goblins will run if something kills too many of them, but Kobolds would rather not have anything to do with a fight in the first place. Their traps are insidious. A kobold fund down the tunnel ahead of the adventurers, seemingly for its life, but the pit trap dressing only falls under the medium creatures' greater weight. Swinging rocks or logs would knock down or brain humans, but the kobolds just run underneath, and stab the prone adventurers to death. They kill you while you crawl through small sized tunnels, unable to fight back. They build traps that do require several kobolds to set up, but are very lethal. Much more likely to cooperate with each other, kobolds, they all lay in the same place, and communally raise the eggs and children. So although they may not be nice to each other, they consider all kobolds from their warren family. Anyone else small like them, or at a disadvantage, they will kill or enslave. Much larger monsters(see dragons) they may worship out of fear, and build their warrens near or under, for safety. They proudly claim heritage from dragons, but secretly envy the beasts and hate their own small stature, taking this out on those they can bully. They are much more likely to live in relative peace with other races though, sometimes living under cities above ground with none the wiser. I had never thought of the water aspect, seeing most of the red ones as more of the lizards that live in arid areas, but water traps are certainly something kobolds would do! Perhaps the green or black ones, to add yet another layer of deviousness to their traps.

The way I've taken Kobolds is very much like intelligent worker bees to a dragons"Queen-dom". I usually think of everything they do is in service of their 'queen' and without one are otherwise crestfallen. In practice I see it as Kobolds either living along side a dragon as servants, carving out defenses in a dragons current place of residence, such as digging in murder holes, arrow slits etc, to make the lives of any potential threats seeking to defeat, steal or undermine the dragon leader as difficult as possible. Beyond the Kobold/Dragon hive I usually try to make it so any Kobold action is in direct service to their master, such as acquiring wealth and magic, acting as ambassadors to the dragon or otherwise expanding its sphere of influence. That being said, another excellent video, and I will definitely be using some of these ideas for my Lizard-Folk tribes.

I love these videos, they really allow me to rethink some creatures I never gave much thought.

Are dragon's cold-blooded? Are saurians or birds cold-blooded? Kobolds, being dragon-kin may be very warm-blooded.

A wonderful look at the kobold! Ill be adding these ideas (and my own take on them) to my world =)

First off I like the points you make. Secondly I've started running a large array of my monster type beings with subtle differences as far as tactics and mannerisms depending on where there from, there leaders or lack of. Very good video as always. On point and thought provoking. Thank you.

Our party may have doomed our world accidentally by successfully deceiving a Kobold leader that we (the party) were the aspects of Glamring, the great dragon in the sky, and that they must pay their respect by bringing us gold in large quantities. We pretty much started a Kobold crusade by telling them to spread the word of Glamring.

This video was quite informative indeed. It was a problem I faced during my DMing: Monsters behaving too similar. Starting from the physiyological part was smart. Thx a bunch. Kobolds being Lawful evil, will also behave in a more orderly fashion I believe. They will have a chain of command, probably some dragon on the very top of that. And having an equivalent Int score to humans they will be more tactical. Goblins will be more like strongest rules the herd kind.

Love this take. Just started a new campaign based around dragon-kin and cults, so this couldn't have come at a better time. I'm working the characters towards entering a Kobolds lair, but the standard dungeon design was leaving me cold. Trap, tunnel, yawn. I love the idea of using the "cold blooded" factor. Forget the traps and dark stone corridors, now I have the idea of heavy humid tunnels, swamped caves and little tunnels were Kobolds slide in and out, its just far more appealing, game wise. Hands reaching out for your feet, under murky water, is far more disturbing than a pitfall trap any day! Thanks.

By Volo's Guide to Monsters, Kobolbs are VERY communal and will all sacrifice themselves for the good of the group whereas Goblins fight each other constantly.

One idea I had to differentiate them is this: Kobolds often serve dragons, and likely are tasked with digging up gold when they don’t pillage for it. This, along with any technical know-how, would make them great miners and even smiths! And with any sorceries kobolds, may even know how to fashion lesser magic items if taught by their dragon lord. This can either be used to make the kobolds the techy ones or simply make them a related but different profession than goblins. Goblins can spend time in workshops, no matter how rudimentary, while kobolds live deep underground slaving away at the mines. Perhaps their dragon blood makes it easy to sniff out precious metals even! For civilized kobolds, what if after a dragon was slayed the kobolds made out with some treasure or even helped the adventurers as hireling for killing their tyrannical master? Kobolds could even then be good merchants; would add some diversity to their lines of work outside of minion, miner, or belittled shaman. They could even be good architects who designed and built their dragon master’s lair from the mountain, take a leaf out of the dwarves’ book (of grudges because some kobolds may have stolen the blueprints) and they prefer to live life large in defiance of their size. Wishing to be large and powerful like the dragons they frequently serve. The inherent magical abilities could also be focused on. Goblins sometimes have Fey magic but kobolds being the race with more sorcerers or even wizards and other sorts could make more sense. Nature for goblins, arcane for Kobolds. You can even go back to old editions and grabby them puppy-like kobolds and just make them dog people, even modern dragonkin kobolds have many puppy-like characterization so lean into that instead! And I liked that one line you had: kobolds aren’t looking to rule the world, that’s for goblins and big folk. Maybe the Urd for sorcerer wants to become a dragon, but the rest of his kin likely wants to just live in peace. I’ve gone a long time about the kobolds. For the goblins, their hierarchy is much more involved. Instead of just a dragon or a shaman at the top and a generally shallow beirarchy, goblins can be defined by it. There’s always a bigger guy further up the ranks and a goblin either puts up with it or has to be sneaky about things. Goblins likely want to be their own masters but rarely have the wit, until one goblin comes along that does. They break off from the others and find lesser beings to lord over and even enslave, getting fat off the cows their subjects pillaged. If you want the more civilized or simply inventive goblins, you can start with the outlander types that are short Bear Grylls. Lots of snares and pitfalls to catch good game. Perhaps they even live connected to nature purposefully. Or you can simply make them surprisingly smart but bullied by those bigger. One idea I got (thanks FFXIV) was that goblins love certain food luxuries like cheese! Or beer! Or pretzels! They invented their own tech to satisfy their odd food obsessions, perhaps they’re natural gourmands (or with Fey origin remember the fine wines and hor d’oeuvres of the Fey court and almost instinctually act to reclaim that taste) that will stop at nothing for good food! Would explain why the rambunctious ones raid for quality farm animals! You could also make them cursed gnomes not dissimilar to Tolkien’s orcs and could even explain their gadgetry know-it-how. Or you can simply decide which one of them looks funnier with an oversized gun they misfired 😂

Despite my comments I really did enjoy your video and your take on kobolds. I comment as a fellow player just having a conversation. Please take my words as possible critiques and not criticisms. You have a great channel here.

An excellent analysis of the Kobolds.

I like to mix things up by grabbing the original mythology: the original idea of a "kobold" was a fae creature, so mine are potentially terrifying fey creatures which can dislocate their jaw and go through small tunnels which defy normal space, meaning is their lairs get non-euclidean. However, I also have a rule against making any race inherently evil, so I've had players negotiate with them: the story of the players negotiating with the seemingly insane creatures, getting some sort of fetch Quest or Monster slaying contract in exchange for the child the kobolds were going to sacrifice to the Fae so they could do it themselves, and then having to race against the clock before the kobolds get tired of waiting, is a much more intriguing story to me than the typical Kobold Slaughter Festival that these things become. When I run them in D&D, I've also played up the draconic factor, making them the Servants of the dragon that the players are trying to deal with, crawling around in its Lair, ready to attack the party for it or warn the dragon that they are there. The dragon might even find them to be pleasant on some level, considering they are other Dragonoids, and the things they consider to be comfortable are far more aligned with it than goblins.. This makes things much more interesting. I really like what you've thrown down here though. The next time I run any sort of lizard pack, I'm going to make their lair warm and moist, possibly have parts for the players are waiting through knee deep mud.

I like your take on kobolds, especially the lair and the idea that they are more defensive and focus on defending the clutch. I've always felt like kobolds are a bit more primitive than goblins, tending toward implements of stone and wood, while goblins have metalworking. Goblins wear armor, and are more prone to stand up fights as opposed to kobolds mostly doing hit and run tactics with traps set for those that try to chase them down.

This was good, but I'm going to echo the sentiment that this really works more for Lizardfolk (who have an excellent write up in (I think) Volo's Guide). I would approach them as some sort of degenerate Dragonborn or some other sort of Dragon-made servants. So I'd pattern a particular tribe's habit and lair after whatever dragon type they originated from. I wouldn't limit it to chromatics, either. I think metallic kobolds who assist in the defense of a dragon's lair would be neat, or act as emessaries, or the eyes and ears of a reclusive Gold would be good as well. So, yeah, for me, I'd take the dragon link and run with it. One of my personal sticking points with Kobolds has always been Kurtlemak (Kobold diety) and in particular the feud with Garl Glittergold that seems to seep in to every DnD setting/lore and creates an annoying race-war. I always find these things limiting from a narrative perspective and limiting in terms of world-view. I could see it from a particular tribe, or collection of tribes that have feuded with a clan of gnomes for generations, but not every kobald/gnome everywhere. So, that would be something I'd drop so I have the freedom to create the culture I want.

I haven't watched yet, but I'm pretty sure my answer is no because kobolds are **AWESOME**. Best little monsters in the game

Crocodiles do have tongues, but they are stuck inside their mouths with a membrane.

I’ve never played RPGs previously, so no pre-established ideas about Kobolds. But I like your idea here. To extrapolate a bit, if Kobolds like warmth, humidity and water, we might suppose that Kobolds act something like certain ants, termites, ground-dwelling wasps, and even beavers. All those creatures build their dwellings to “engineering” principles that maintain ideal levels of temp, humidity, air-flow and/or water access. These nests will require cooperation to build and maintain so that they continue to function correctly. It might well be a very chaotic-looking sort of cooperation, of course, but it will work reliably because the group would die if it didn’t.. Anyway, this would give Kobolds an interesting view of humans - how superficially social we try to appear, when in actuality we would seem sort of like beasts barely able to cooperate and live with one another. It would give Kobolds a great reason to fear and loathe humans - the way we “carelessly” divert watercourses, callously drive ditches and footings and shafts through extended Kobold ventilation and access systems, etc. Anyway, just my thinking.

this vid gave me an idea for a steampunk-pirate dnd campaign I'm working on and I want to have ship battles happening outside of the player's control/presence. both goblins and kobolds are very pirate-like in their culture - goblins more so than kobolds, but kobolds have a thing for minerals and tech and that would fit in perfect in a more tech inclined setting. For kobolds, some have wings so maybe they don't even need a ship and they just swarm airships with overwhelming numbers. Even if not I'd imagine their craft to be more intricate and maneuverable, maybe they model their ships after the dragons they worship, If so Kobolds would certainly be very proud of their crafts. Goblins, on the other hand, would be less crafty with their vessels so either take the tip from warhammer and have their ships made more haphazardly stitched together or just steal and repurpose ships from other races. Fitting of their roguish nature, goblins are not proud of their craftsmanship but instead of their feats as sky-criminals

I've got such a soft spot for Kobolds. I interpreted them as Clan-Oriented Urchins with delusions of grandeur. Now that's not very different from the text itself, but as a character I tried to put them in a light of "i am on an adventure to help my clan become dragons again" or deeply respected and recognized in the Dragon Space. It is always a futile effort, stupidly so, but I felt that flavoured them rather well.

One other big way to differentiate kobolds from goblins is to have the dragons actually tolerate their diminutive worshipers. It's more of a change to dragons, but if you start massacring kobolds when their god is 2 rooms away and may well decide to check on what all that noise is (provided this is a dragon-sized tunnel, of course), you've got a party that's in conservation mode. No sorcerer is going to waste a valuable fireball on a group of kobolds when he's expecting a dragon to pop around the corner. Of course, you probably need to establish this pattern early on, by, say, having some kobolds take over the fortress built on top of a cave system because they've figured out that there's a wyrmling aged dragon hiding under it, and tasking your level 2 party to go root it out. Thanks, Eucharion (my DM).

We aren't just cannon fodder! We can bring high level parties to their knees!

As a DM I have always viewed Kobolds vastly different than Goblins. Tiny Dragon folk with their strong faith that their gods (basically any dragon) and possibly actual dragon gods like Tiamat or Bahamut reincarnate them very quickly into the next egg to be hatched in their clan's den, upon their death. They are weak in comparison to most species but smart and skilled at tunneling, trap making, etc. Unlike Goblins a Kobold Clan can be tamed by anyone willing to pay out in that proper shiny coin and other trinkets. For a town can Persuade a clan to build and maintain Sewers and Catacombs to keep other creatures from making a home in them, like undead, giant spiders, goblins, or even discouraging a Lich. A dragon can also use their 'god' status to use a clan or two to protect their horde. (Much of this is in D&D standard lore for Kobolds) Where I will deviate a little from lore is where Kobolds view each other with a strong pack sense, they openly share their "shinies" with other members of the Clan, its not that they don't care when they see their fellow kobolds die in battle, they just know that they will be reborn soon so continue without a second thought (making other races think they are uncaring) however alone they can be cowardly, but if not alone a Kobold acting cowardly might be a simple distraction while their friends sneak up behind you (which makes sense in their races player trait of 'Grovel, Cower, and Beg' which forces enemies to pay attention to the Kobold Player and unable to notice or attack other players.) and if the Kobold dies, they know they will just be reincarnated in that next egg. However this all changes if a Kobold is banished, this is the worse punishment for a Kobold, even worse than a death penalty, banishment means they are broken from their Clan's reincarnation cycle and unless they find a new clan, or make one, they believe when they die that is the end. Some other fun non-goblin like things would be, -Adult at age 9 (Goblin is 3) Average age is 16, but they can live to 120 (they just die that often and the oldest goblin was 43 before he dropped dead from old age in D&D 5e) -If a clan finds themselves with just members of the same sex, some can undergo a modestly fast transformation to the needed one (this is why it is so hard to rid an area of kobolds) -Cold Blooded obviously leads to different life choices

I think you just made lizard folk.

I started playing D&D with the red box set in the early 80s. Kobolds then were doglike and I built a whole dog culture around them. with packs of dogs, gnolls up in the caves of the foothills. They would of course have a good sense of smell and be very defensive.

I absolutely adore Kobolds and use them as much as possible. I have three different PCs who are Kobolds and one who has a Kobold as a parent.

Kobolds in my world hold the last traces of true dragon blood. They reside in most cities in the alleys sewers and self dug Warren's under the cities. They are often tinkers rat catchers and run lamp lighter guilds.

Kobolds and Goblins are cool races to me . I like Them a lot. And in fantasy books I like developing their cultures a little more exciting

My worlds tend to have a little more of a fantasy tech element to them where I like to focus on a fantastical version of machinery and inventions. Kobolds land in here as the shoddier part of the triangle of inventor races. Typically, I'll make Dwarves reluctant to incorporate new things and stubbornly resilient to updating tech that still works. Gnomes fiddle with everything and anything and will try their best to make something new and never before seen. Kobolds also build stuff but it's often cheaply built and a little more unwieldy, possibly with extra features it ordinarily wouldn't have. It is done very quickly and likely with random junk. For example, a craftsman of each race has to make a repeating crossbow. The Dwarf will deviate little from existing designs and make something solid, dependable and capable. It'll be well built but kinda standard, except for the decoration the Dwarf would put on it. The Gnome might have about five different versions. One that can autofire, one that loads throwing knives instead and another two that attempt to use weird looking bow designs before finally handing over a strange looking contraption that can shoot knives from a loadable magazine. It'll break every twenty shots but it looks cool. The Kobold hammered this thing out of a few blocks of wood, some nails and a little twine. It works, it's not amazing; but it'll do in a pinch and it's easy to fix as it's effectively cobbled together junk that cost twenty copper. It will do the job but break relatively often like an arts and crafts project probably would. I tend to lead with that angle. As I quite like Kobolds. I keep adding ones that aid the players in someway because of this.

I had just written a kobold encounter, this came out just in time. Ill incorporate some of this.

This is very helpful, I used to have the difference be that goblins are clumsy, and kobalds are serious

I have always loved kobolds but in the 90s i equated them more to skaven but with less fecal-covered weapons in AD&D 2nd Ed. Now i have a "civilized" colony under a major trade town that maintains the sewers and aquaducts in exchange for goods. They are even allowed to visit shops and openly trade.

I always make kobolds lawful evil and goblins neutral evil. Kobolds are obsessed with serving a dragon or anything sufficiently powerful. And thats what makes me love them. They can be bartered with since what they do is not inherently selfish it's just a emulation of what their dragon or ruler does. Kobolds are tricky and vain they are easy to be swayed when they are praised and complimented as they have inherented some of the narcissism that dragons have.

I think my whole opinion of kobolds has been shaped by the Sunless Citadel (where mine have been known to comment with disgust at how unsanitary goblins are) and the various pet lizards I have had. Generally chill, but territorial, liking things warm and dry except for the occasional luxurious soak. And fanboy obsessed with everything dragon, tending toward dragon decor and collecting shiny things in hopes of attracting one. I see Lizardfolk more like the description here.

I have Kobolds as more of a collective hive. They cooperate more effectively than goblins who are greedier and more individualistic. Goblins are more prone to argue with one another and you can easily capture one and turn them against their own kind. But Kobolds get along, although they can be kind of savage. It's accepted though. They kind of chitter and talk to one another as they battle and provide commentary and are better at battling in groups than goblins - more advanced tactics. Both goblins and kobolds are very funny. I think of Kobolds as better at setting traps than goblins. Goblins want your gold or they serve their master. Kobolds want you out, want you for lunch or they are serving their master. They don't really care too much for expansion unless the dragons want them to do something. Also Kobolds worship dragons and can drop lore but this can also be amusing.

I've had a vastly different take on kobolds. I once wondered on the same question and did some research on the folklore/mythological origins of these creatures, and found even D&D has strayed from the origins. That said originally they where believed to be spirits that sometimes aided and sometimes caused problems for humans. (The name for the metal Cobalt, comes from the idea of kobolds turning valuable ores into something useless. Human miners that upset the kobalds could expect an increase in "accidents". Other kobalds where bound to homes rather then mines to aid families in daily chores (likely inspiration for J.k. Rowling's "house-elves"). Families would leave offerings at some sort of totem to keep the kobald happy. A good kobald was never seen or heard. If the family, however, failed to offer appropriate gifts or angered the kobald in some other manner, they could begin causing problems for the family. Accidents around the house could be blamed on the creature. This sort of take could be incorporated into a game as a sort of symbiotic relationship gone wrong. It would focus more on the creatures tenancy to remain unseen and rely on traps. They could present a unique challenge in that players would have a difficult time even locating them. While elimination could be an option, appeasing the kobalds might be a more interesting option. Drawing on the folklore idea of presenting kobolds with gifts this could easily lead into some other fetch quest. To make things more interesting, the item requested could go against the players own interests.

lizardfolk are like emotionless instinct robots, kobolds are stunted dragons with humanoid bodies, like a stupid dragon that got halfway stuck between a human and dragon metamorphosis

Kobolds when I play them is all about the tribe. There is little place for individual care. But a cobald would help another, even a rival. Because they need eachother against everyone else. Goblins are all about thenselves. They work togeather because its best for the individual. But if a rival is in trouble, its more satisfying for a goblin to gloat at it than to help.

Yay been w8ing for this!

Personally I've never seen them as particularly similar. Goblins have never in my eyes been known for making traps. They might sometimes be known as tinkers or alchemists, but I've never considered them trappers. Kobolds on the other hand are huge trap makers. It may seem like a slight difference, but it really informs a lot about the two. Goblins are chaotic creatures, tend to be tricksters and destructive with a particular love of fire, and tend to be far more aggressive as a whole. Kobolds are lawful creatures, are much more defensive minded (hence the trap focus) and far more willing to be cooperative if it is in their interest. You could likely write a small book about the differences between the cultures. Kobolds dig out tunnels and mines of their own, they're rather industrious, while Goblins tend to live above ground in camps, or caves they've found as opposed to digging out themselves. I do like the idea of helping note the distinctions between them though.

Nice points. Another difference, in my opinion, is that goblins are part of the larger goblinoid family, They will almost always have other (bigger and nastier) hobgobs or bugbears around, especially when encountered outside the lair/encampment. A warband is extremely likely to be mixed. I view Kobolds as somewhat xenophobic, by comparison.

If I am running kobolds based off of the Dungeons and Dragons version they are related to dragons. As such, that makes them warm-blooded because dragons are warm-blooded. As a quick note, dragons, throughout our world history, tend to have a mix of serpent, big cat, and bird of prey characteristics. As such, it might make sense to adopt these into kobolds since they are related to dragons. That is assuming you bring in elements of our world's legends about dragons into your fantasy setting. I think it might be fun to focus on them being more like dragons to some degree. That would mean maybe different tribes/settlements of kobolds have particular theme related to the type of dragon they are most closely related to. For example, there could be a group of blue kobolds that specialize in lightning magic and traps. In my last setting I had them take on the roles of engineers in mix population cities. I based this off of the fact kobolds are known their traps and from real world legends they are associated with mining. This basically turned them into inventors and machinists.

awesome video. I wasnt a fan of kobollds but this helps.

I appreciate this video a lot.

One of the things I enjoy doing with Kobolds is adding a potential for good, having the kobold fall into service of a metalic dragon, or even being a "Blessed of Bahamut", where the kobold is steadily and slowly turning metalic. Also, at least in my groups, Goblins are very camp heavy, building fortresses and rough buildings and tents, while the kobolds are almost always cave dwelling nomads who keep on the move.

I've kinda always played them as italian mobsters personally. They do pretty well for the archetype with their very tight familial relations and their habit of ganging up on things. Plus I can see them getting along decently well with other humanoids because of their lawful nature. If the terms seem to favor the kobolds then there's no reason they wouldn't agree to live peacefully with a city or town in return for a service.

I love the hot humid lair filled with pockets and passage ways of water that's some good flavor for the game. I'm not disputing the claim about reptiles stench and maybe kobolds wouldn't care but maybe they would. They are sentient creatures with an a big average intelligence approximately equal to the average human. That is to say they may concern themselves with things unimportant to lizards, turtles, and crocodilians.

The key difference is the alignment; kobolds are usually lawful evil and work together, and are all around more industrious than goblins, setting much more elaborate and complicated traps. Goblins are usually chaotic evil, by comparison, and tend to be more primitive, tribal, and respond only to suitable displays of strength.

part of the issue i think is mythology wise goblins and kobolds come from very similar sources and indeed kobolds used to be more human or dog like than lizard before they came into pathfinder and D&D. in my game kobolds are living mostly to a central island home. A small jungle covered volcanic island. Two tribe of kobolds live there, red scales who live under the volcano in tunnels and a coastal settlement they built to look like a pirate city some silly kobold sailors found. they also live around a sleeping red dragon who they tend to let be for the most part. Second group i have to explain how i've changed them and dragons. I've based them more on Dinos so some dragons actually have feathers in my game. the second tribe of kobolds are based off feathered green dragons, so there the green feather tribe. They are surface dwelling forest kobolds who build in trees or under there roots and tend to make the most traps like pit falls and tend to ambush from trees. they have one kind of fighter called flying scorpions who are winged kobolds with tail spikes who fly or glide from tree tops and sting at critters with poisoned tail spikes. the also have more magic users (mainly druids and shaman) than other kobolds.

This makes kobald's so more interesting i am running the hoard of the Dragon queen so this is essential

Although I disagree with the cold-bloodlessness (as others have described here) and the egg laying (more likely to give birth, or be marsupials given the metabolic needs for brain development), the description for the feel of the Kobold lair was inspiring. I am about to use Kobolds as one of three client races for the dominant race in my world. Some will have more pronounced Dragon traits. The lair described in the video would be wonderful for Kobolds with more black dragon traits. Sticking with that theme, varying the lair by the lineage would make different Kobolds with different lineages new and different when the players encounter them. Ice caverns, frigid waters for white dragon descended Kobolds. Blue dragon descended Kobolds could have sun baked dunes, with glassy tunnels, dust pools in which Kobolds swim, pulling the characters down to suffocate. More advanced/noble Kobolds could be descended from metallic dragons, with appropriate traits. Bronze Kobolds with nicely appointed stone tunnels, clean pools, etc. Psychologically, the question for me becomes, how are they different from Dragonborn/Dragonkin. The answer would need to stem from Kobolds being so much smaller, and weaker than Dragonborn. Inferiority complex, fear, cowardliness would be easy, but over-compensation, overwhelming numbers, pack tactics, Napoleon complex would be more interesting options.

Pretty amazing your take on Kobolts is allmost 100 % similar to mine. Allthough I think it is pretty close to how Kobolds are described in Pathfinders Golarion backround. A bit more detailed and gritte (canibalism and stench) but close. Since I for some years now did not run a fantasy campaign and the GM who does for my group doesn't like giving creatures classes and level the group had no Kobolt encounter. The GM likes Goblins and we simply level to fast so we are out of the range of Kobolts after a few sessions. I would run it differently but his style is fun for us to play too and its pretty close to the old D&D and AD&D experience. I do play a Kobold character though. So in a sense the group has a constant Kobolt encounter all the time. Just not a combat encounter. When we started the new campaign I wanted something different I haven't done befor and I wanted to stay away from min-maxing... at least a little. It was pretty obvious that the party would contain the usual mixture of Tieflings and Dwarf-Subspecies because of the allmost insane power gaming posibilitie. So I deliberatly picked a race that seems weak, small and is commonly looked down upon. My cobolt is an Alchemist. Red scaled and indeed cold blooded. Which means he has a natural afinity to fire and heat. He dislikes cold. It caused quite some problems when we had to cross a mountain range and go stuck on a pass in a snow storm. He also doesn't wear clothes. At least not out of an inside motivation or urge. Armor yes clothes no. He started to wear some to blend in and project status and wealth now. His lack of sense of taste and disgust also has caught the attention as the group. The ability to eat allmost everything can be very practical and create lots of roleplaying opportunities. I play the alchemist in the direction of a mad scientist. Not completly out of control but too curious and not enough foresight for his own good. This is what got him trown out of his tribe in the first place. He is a bit of a racist. Thinking that Kobolts are superiour to most other races including dragons which are just degenerated, mutated and enlarged Kobolts to him. He can and will start a rant with lots of sciency babble if asked for the reasons. He is constantly trying to empower and improve himself to become what a Kobolt should be like. Befor all the other yealous bigger races drove them underground. Hopefully being able to extend this onto all Koblod-Kind to lead them to the place where they rightly belong. He is not evil or malicious though. He just lacks common sense and restraint. The ends often do justify the means for him. In additon to that are the kultural differences. For example he did not jump into a river to rescue a child being washed away. Even though he easily could have done it. Concidering this as a natural way of finding out if the growing hatchling will be a future asset for his tribe. Which caused quite come controversy at the table. In character and out of.

I've got a great backstory for a kobold. Pretty simple with the new tasha's backgrounds n such. Have a kobold that was raised on a farm "hatched" from a chicken egg and raised by a little girl. He could worship chickens instead of dragons as well as no light sensitivity.

I like this idea, but I do prefer having my Kobolds being craftier. Creating their own inventions and traps to use. While goblins might steal or adapt something they’ve found to use for themselves

Like your take. I personally do also take a coldblooded approach. but i kind of take them more of a swampy approach and, use them more as raiders. while i see goblins as more of small kingdoms. i admit i kinda take goblins into a small evil kingdom of sorts to use against humans. I also see kobolds using most of the trap making focused on their liars and area surrounding. while with goblins i kinda change their trap making nature to more of an engineering nature instead. thus making them more built for sieges and conquest. But thats just my thoughts on it.

I like the idea of trying to make them inspired by raptors or compsognathus.

Putting together a game world and came up with some new Kobold lore for it, basically Goblins and Orcs will breed with anything they can and Kobolds are a stable race of what happens when a Dragon and a Goblin get it on.

I must point out that if kobolds don't actively engage, remain patient, and breathe underwater for lengthy periods of time; then a kobolds lair should be mostly submerged, and the underwater tunnels between chambers lengthy. Applying their patience and traps, it is better to assume that the beginning of any kobolds fight should be deep in those submerged tunnels. Why? Well, why bother attempting to drown adventurers when you could wait for them to come to you in a battlefield of your choosing. Odd comparison, but Sun Tzu acknowledges that if you must pursue an enemy army over rivers or damp land, let them be. You don't want to get stuck on the other side of a riverbed unless you plan on having no retreat available. A fight already starting underwater is far more dangerous for an adventuring party than the potential of being dragged down. It's the difference of chance of drowning versus drowning already occurring.

I like your take on Kobolds. I will use that approach when I get a chance to use them. Now what about Xvarts? It would be interesting to hear if your perspective on them.

I feel like Kobolds should be metallurgists, as the name for cobalt comes from them. They should have a much better understanding of alchemy/chemistry than pretty much any other race, not only making them more unique, but also giving them a cold genius. They wouldn't use this knowledge for ornamentation though, it would be purely utilitarian. Lining their dens with a plastery substance to hold in the heat and humidity. Adding chemicals to their water to make it more suitable to their needs (and even more dangerous to warmbloods). Smelting fantasically durable and efficient tools. Distilling concoctions to cure diseases, harden their scales, energize them for a drawn out battle, seal open wounds, dissolve rock, etc. They might have invented a chemical sprayer to make applying these concoctions easier. And they may be the only species to have discovered how to truly transmute metals into a higher tier, allowing them to get all the metals they need from a large vein of a low tier metal (they would probably prefer lowest metals for their ability to be whatever they need at the time. Unless they've figured out how to reduce metals to a lower tier as well.) This skill could even make them a able to join society if they wished to for whatever reason. That coming from a desire for all sufficiently intelligent races to participate in some form of civilization. I feel the same about goblins. Just because they're diminutive and crude, doesn't mean they can't organize and join society, much like how even though humans typically join society, you still have groups in fantasy that are still cultishly tribal, like the forsworn in skyrim.

Kobolds VS goblins? Give kobolds fire breath. It’s what I do

All creatures in D&D should have a unique flavor to them. If goblins and orcs and kobolds start to blend together and are just "generic enemy type X," then the fault is with you as a DM and as a storyteller. Your ideas on how to add unique flavor to kobolds are great and I wholeheartedly approve, but don't forget the dragon lineage. Remember that, at least in D&D 3.0/.5, spontaneous magic casting was proof of dragon heritage. Sorcerers and bards could even reawaken that heritage and become full-on half-dragons. Kobold bards and sorcerers are not uncommon in official D&D lore (NWN, for example), so don't forget to add in kobold sorcerers and bards (and all that goes with that in the lair of an evil sorcerer or bard) to help emphasize their draconic heritage, add extra danger, and add a unique challenge to kobolds that goblins don't have.

My concept of what a kobold looks like got messed up because when I was younger I loved the Landover series by Terry Brooks, he had a couple of kobolds that were important characters and they were described as apelike creatures. And I had an early Magic the Gathering card that was a kobold and the picture was a purple skinned goblin with a beaklike face. It wasn't until I read some D&D based webcomics that I found out they were supposed to be little dragon people.

What I use to separate Kobolds and Goblins is look at their parent-races and see how they would use them. They share the idea of being the lesser minions of a certain race of being, Goblins to Orcs or other Gobloids and Kobolds to Dragons. Conceptually born from the same mold, yet Gobloids and Dragons themselves are not, and how they assert rule over these races and utilize them is how we create the key difference that separates the Goblin from the Kobold, because a Dragon will raise it's minions for a completely different function compared to how Bugbears or Orcs would raise Goblins, which ultimately plays a part in defining their culture. The first step is to examine the difference between Gobloids and Dragons. Hobgoblins, the highest ranking of Gobloids and Orcs as well have a distinctly militant feel to them. They are barbarous savages and great military conquerors. Whether you are looking Lord of the Rings or Warcraft, this is a space dominated by brutality and conquest with might. Dragons on the other hand, when known to be intelligent enough to house minions, are more sophisticated. Hoarders of precious metals and rare commodities of all sorts, vanity can be easily associated with them. Their connection to castles also sorta suggests they have an eye for luxury, greedy and covetous on the same level as humans are. With that, we have a split in the master-race that commands the lessers, so now it's the time to implement them onto the creature. This is how I split them; *Goblins;* They are masters of guerilla warfare. Born in a society that most likely mocks them for being so small and meek, their culture has fully internalized this idea and hence have set about learning construction of solid fortification, tactics of sabotage and stealth and the use of machinery from hot-air balloons for bombardment to catapults. They have fully accepted their eventual march towards almost-certain death, in fear of the absolutely certain death at the hands of their commanders for insubordination, which makes them come off more submissive and cowardly. They adopt a similar "Might makes right" mentality to their masters, creating pecking-orders among themselves as they seek the approval of their masters to maybe be one day accepted above the goblins, with the ill-conceived ambition of overthrowing their master always at the back of their heads. *Kobolds;* A dragon has much less need to raise it's underlings for combat, as one is more than capable of handling entire armies by itself or with assistance from allied dragons or it's own children. Instead, those lavish palaces and golden statues in it's honor aren't going to build themselves, their horde can always use a few more chunks of gold and they do like it when they have a nice juicy stake ready for them when they wake up. Compared to Goblins, Kobolds are significantly more blue-collar. They are carpenters, miners, smiths, cooks, architects, all in the name of creating the most lavish lap of luxury for their great-father dragon. Due to the almost otherworldly majesty of dragons, Kobolds are much less eager to climb up in the ranks to be equal to the dragon, instead deifying it, treating it as the pinnacle of existence that they adore with all their heart. The classism of Kobolds is less about individual strength like with Goblins and more focused on their devotion to the great Dragon and how much he approves of their efforts. Those whose names the Dragon can actually remember are treated as archbishops of their Dragon-cults beaming that pride by lording it over it's fellow Kobolds less with violence and more with passive aggression and condescendence. It's an idea at least.

Generally from my experience, goblins are stealthy and derpy with more poisons and riding odd critters, and kobold's were smarter more devious trap makers and miners, i think its more of a gm tendency to conflate them rather than them necessarily being super similar, i mean honestly bugbears, hob goblins, orcs, are all kinda the same too, and again they have some different lore but its mostly cause gm's just tend to be, oh its those sorta savage raider types, generally why i like to run races differently in my games, instead of just using them as their base stats and use from most gm's would suggest. So good on you for on making them more interesting for yourself. Also for pathfinder, they have the ratfolk which have the swarming racial feature, i take that and put that into my kobold's, with that good at working together and swarming their foes in overwhelming numbers sorta deals

Goblins & Kobold in mythology are essentially the same thing so it makes sense that even with their new draconic/dog-like makeover they are used the same. Persoannly I prefer Kobolds as a sort of hairy, semi-civilised goblinoids. Now if you want something a lil closer to D&Ds Kobolds is the Japanese Imori (their described as little gecko warriors). The Imori could easily replace Kobolds because the only story I can find is they are the souls of warriors stuck as lil' lizards.

I like that. Changes my idea, I've never really used Cobalts for that exact reason why not just use goblins.I might run kobold Den for a bounty board or something like that.

My take on kobolds. I haven't used them a lot and used to play them very stereotypically as written in the manuals. Now I'm developing a new take leaning into dragon kin aspect.

I honestly feel D&D does Kobolds dirty. Especially 5e giving them an 8 in INT. I've always seen them as a very inventor style race that are incredibly crafty and smart. Sure they may be physically weak and not the toughest causing them to be rather cowardly but that's pretty standard of most small races. I also see them as magically gifted in the arts of sorcery and such due to their draconic bloodlines. While they certainly are evil in nature I'd say that's more due to Kobold society being evil as there are Kobolds like Deekin Scalesinger who are good. Really a good way to sum up Kobolds in my eyes are gnomes who didn't get accepted into society and thus must live out in the wilds and make do with what they can. Tho Eberron I feel does a pretty good job representing Kobolds for what they truly can be.